London: Passengers aboard British Airways flight BA295 from London to Chicago were reportedly alarmed after the aircraft encountered an emergency while flying over Ireland on Monday and rapidly descended from its cruising altitude.
According to flight-tracking data, the Boeing 777-200ER was flying at around 37,000 feet before descending to approximately 9,000 feet within a short period. The flight crew also activated the international emergency transponder code 7700.
Flight BA295 had departed from Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport for Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Reports said the aircraft took off at around 11.50am local time. The scheduled flight normally takes approximately eight hours and 40 minutes.
The aircraft’s sudden descent and activation of the emergency code prompted attention among passengers and flight trackers. However, the available information does not establish the specific reason for the emergency.
What does emergency code 7700 mean?
Code 7700 is an internationally recognised emergency transponder code used by pilots to alert air traffic control that an aircraft is experiencing a general emergency and may require priority handling or assistance.
The code itself does not identify the nature of the emergency. It can be activated for a range of situations, including a technical problem, medical emergency, severe weather or another serious issue.
Further details about the nature of the incident and the aircraft’s subsequent flight status were not immediately available.
